Three necessary photos for bank, dollar rolls

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This HiBid seller shows the side of the 1964-D Half Dollar roll, but not the two ends, which indicate whether the end coins are toned and the roll has been opened previously.

Here’s a lot that does feature three photos:

The first photo above indicates the roll has been opened. The second shows toning on the end coin. The third side photo seems to have bank roll text on it, not shown completely. Bank rolls fetch higher bids, especially unopened ones.

This side photo of a Morgan Dollar roll shows bank information.

Without those three necessary photos, bidders are taking a risk. The roll may be missing one or more coins or may have been tampered with.

The ends of the roll must be tucked in and tight, as in this photo:

The half-dollar roll below has been previously opened, as the untucked wrapper shows:

If you like this site, please consider purchasing my latest book, Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding, which has several chapters on smart bidding and buying. Sales of the work underwrite costs of this blog.

Quick takes: questionable photos, bad reviews

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Looking at this eBay seller’s inventory, any knowledgeable hobbyist would realize that these virtually flawless Morgan dollars (including others inventory) are too good to be true. The 1889-O and 1883-S Morgans are scarce, especially in super-gem condition. These would be worth thousands.

In the coin-buying business, the general rule is, “If it looks too good to be true, it probably has been PhotoShopped.”

When that suspicion arises, go to the negative reviews, even if the seller has 99% favorable ones. Many of the negative reviews here cited the same thing. Here’s an example:

In cases like this you can often see the original sale coin if recent. Here’s a photo of one of the coins in these negative reviews.

I wish eBay would allow buyers to block sellers the way that sellers block buyers when they post a negative review or return coins.

If you like this site, please consider purchasing my latest book, Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding, which has several chapters on smart bidding and buying.

These are not California gold coins

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I have written about this in several articles for Coin World and Coin Update News. In my Coin World article, I noted these tokens, usually brass or gold-plated, are routinely described in online auctions by the year, state, denomination and coin: “1852 ½ dollar California gold coin.”

Every word of that description is wrong. The token was not manufactured in 1852; is not a half dollar; not a coin; not gold; and does not come from California. Many of these are manufactured in China or sold by a U.S. tourist shop.

Authentic California fractional gold coins have a denomination on it, such as 1/4, 1/2 and 1 DOLLAR. The word “dollar” is sometimes abbreviated as D. or DOL.

Here is what will happen to your coin if you send it to NGC:

If you like this site, please consider purchasing my new book, Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding, which has a section on fake California gold coins.

Here’s an excerpt:

The coin on the left is a replica. The one of the right, authentic. You will find dozens of replicas and privately minted souvenir “pioneer” gold masquerading as California Fractional Gold. If it has a bear on the reverse, as does the coin on the left, chances are you got a replica or privately minted souvenir token.

What “guide” is this seller actually using?

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I have bought from this seller before but always am wary because he tends to inflate the value of coins with the mysterious “guide” tag.

First of all, the only reliable guides are ones by top-tier holdering companies, such as PCGS and NGC, whose high standards are meant for sight-unseen purchases. PCGS guide for a 1900 Morgan at MS65 is $275. NGC prices the 1900 MS65 in its holder is $235.

Perhaps the seller can make a case for this particular coin being higher than these retail prices because of the toning. There is no “guide” for toned coins.

Also, this particular coin has environmental damage on the reverse:

Finally keep in mind that the only real guide for buyers are PCGS/NGC major auction house hammer prices, ranging from $150-$200 on average for an MS65 1900 Morgan.

If you like this site, please consider purchasing my latest book, Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding, which has several chapters on smart bidding and buying.

Not a complete 1958 P-D Mint Set

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Although beautiful, this is a half double mint set, meaning 10 coins are missing.

Upon closer inspection of the photo, we see half are from the Philadelphia mint and half from the Denver mint. The D mint mark is on the reverse of the half, quarter, dime and nickel, so you can’t see that from the photo. But the cent shows the D mark.

True, the lot is not being described as a double mint set. And there seems to be only one panel in the lot photo. Nevertheless, the seller should have stated “Partial Double Mint Set.”

If you like this site, please consider purchasing my latest book, Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding, which has a chapter on swiped out double mint sets. Here’s an excerpt:

The Infamous Double Mint Set Swap

Okay, by my subjective evaluation, the half dollars, quarters, three dimes, three nickels, and one cent have been swapped out of the above holder, which typically results in rainbow hues or black and grey toning (if people in the household smoked cigarettes). I would not bid on this eBay example. Keep in mind the seller may not have initiated the swap; she or he merely owns the set.

Is this 1890-S Morgan worth $1,250?

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I am not aware of what grading website the seller is using to assess the value of this 1890-S Morgan dollar as $1,250. PCGS lists such a coin at $1,300, providing that it is housed in the company’s holder. While PCGS and NGC holdered coins are meant to be traded, sight unseen, seeing the above coin makes me believe it has been anodized with a mixture of water, sulfur and sodium hydroxide. The artificial toning is so thick it is difficult to see any hairlines or scratches on this coin.

The 1890-S Morgan is a relatively scarce coin with a mintage of 8,230,373. Of course, you can believe the lower-tier holder company’s description and the seller’s estimated value. Mine is only an opinion, expert though it may be.

I wouldn’t bid on this coin. I suspect it might grade MS63 if I did a quick dip to remove the fake color, always a risky task, because dipping if done poorly can transform a coin’s value to silver melt.

My latest book, Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding, has a chapter on toned vs. artificially toned coins.

Here’s an excerpt:

Just because a coin has deep toning, that doesn’t make it desirable. Let’s look at some coins I would never bid on.

These are what I call “Easter eggs.” Someone was experimenting with artificial toning, probably with heat or chemicals. Those are easy to spot. They are silver melt, in my view. You can differ on that, of course. Maybe you like the tone and do not care if they are artificially colored.

Please consider purchasing Coin News Updated for $9.99. We use funds from Amazon Kindle to underwrite this blog.

Is this dime really “gem” (MS65) Full Bands?

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The Full Bands (FB) or Full Split Bands (FSB) designation refers to the two bands on the reverse torch. They should be split with lines without any break, an indication of a strong strike. Proof coins are assumed to have split bands. Business strikes, however, may not.

This is how PCGS defines Full Bands:

The bands on a Mercury Dime are found within the fasces design element, serving as the main reverse device that resembles a bundle of sticks and an axe wrapped within vines of olive leaves. Binding all these elements together are the bands, which are shown as three sets of twin belts. The Full Bands designation is granted to Mercury Dimes in which the central (middle) set of bands shows a complete split in the middle.

https://www.pcgs.com/news/what-are-full-bands-mercury-dimes

Mercury dimes with split bands command higher prices. For instance, an MS65 1927 dime retails for $175. One with the FB designation is worth $400 more.

Here is an example of split bands from one of my dimes.

Here’s the reverse of the 1927 dime being offered on HiBid:

I have doubts that this dime is gem and worth submitting to PCGS or NGC. I am a bit wary of this line on the obverse, which could be a pin scratch:

I wouldn’t bet on PCGS awarding the FB designation on this coin. The left side is mushy:

In other words, this is a nifty album filler dime worth no more than $25. With buyer and mailing fees, you’re looking at $40 bidding on this one, presuming no one else bids and you do with one winning bid.

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American Savings Dollars

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Morgan and Peace dollars housed in red stock cardboard and plastic holders from American Savings and Loan Bank in the 1960s were gifted to new customers opening accounts. The holders are fragile and often broken or cracked. But the cardboard and cracks sometimes create wonderful toning, especially in Peace Dollars, which notoriously are difficult to get in rainbow hues.

I won these at auction on eBay and will send them to PCGS for holdering. We’ll see what grades they earn.

If you are enjoying Proxiblog, please consider purchasing my latest numismatic book, Coin News Updated: The Essential Guide to Online Bidding. It has a chapter on toned coins that will help you bid judiciously in eBay and HiBid actions. CLICK HERE to order.